Headteacher - Teaching Expertise

How can the school win whilst keeping costs down? Peter Woodhouse takes you through the process, from receiving the claim form to presenting your case

Two Ofsted reports later, and geography and history are back in the news. Suzanne O’Connell asks: will the arrival of the English baccalaureate improve their status, or will their clustering as part of ‘humanities’ be their downfall?

Dave Weston opens an issue of Primary Headship focused on the challenges for schools posed by the government’s reform agenda with an in-depth analysis of the proposals in the education white paper

Peter Kent looks at the prospect of higher university tuition fees for students at his school, and worries about how it will affect their decisions on their future. Will removing the cap on tuition fees put some young people off going to university altogether, despite academic ability?

David Morley shares his experience of raising his school’s attendance levels through tackling parents who take their children out of school too often

The new Act consolidates the law, but also contains important new provisions that schools managers should take on board, says Tony Hyams-Parish

The best solutions to any uncertainty, says Josephine Smith, are often those that can be found close to home. Here, she suggests how school leaders can steady the ship and ensure that there is no loss in staff motivation as another period of change gets underway

Steve Mynard analyses the recent comprehensive spending review and considers the implications for heads and schools

Modern technology has spawned a variety of new media — but with benefits come serious dangers. Kris Lines explains duties to keep staff and pupils safe

The Future Leaders programme aims to address educational disadvantage by offering accelerated leadership training to teachers in urban schools, explains Sir Iain Hall

Student interviewers may not have the same priorities as school leaders but they still have useful insights to share, says Peter Kent

School councils are becoming more influential in primaries. Neil Short discusses the implications and shares examples of just how far children can go in leading their own learning

A violent case of race-conflict has brought schools’ legal duties into the spotlight, writes Kris Lines

It is time for policy-makers to understand why disadvantage has such negative implications for children’s learning, argues Bernard Barker

Are free schools the ‘must have’ solution to a failing education system or an unecessary and costly gamble? Suzanne O’Connell talks to a prospective provider to find out more

Suzanne O’Connell considers the rise of the academy and its escalating rate of reproduction

What can curriculum managers be doing to secure more widespread effective use of ICT to transform teaching and learning in their school context? Research from Becta offers potential solutions

A combination of Liberal and Tory policy has created a framework for the newly named Department for Education to work with. Roger Smith looks at the key policies

What are the pros and cons of switching status under the new law? And what steps do you take if you decide to go ahead? Ingrid Sutherland explains

How can schools develop an effective department or faculty review system, asks Paul Ainsworth

While the future direction of education policy hangs in the balance Dave Weston argues the case for keeping the creative ethos of recent primary reviews very much in mind

Tracey Eldridge-Hinmers looks at how changes to the guidance will affect schools’ duties in relation to information sharing and the prevention of bullying

The new Department for Education demonstrates the unfamiliar look of coalition politics with Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather taking on the role of Minister of State for Children and Families under the new Conservative Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove

Birchensale Middle School’s Family Learning programme targets the parents of low-ability children, offering them the chance to improve key skills and participate more fully in their children’s learning. Carrie Saint Freedman visited the school to find out more

Many staff in schools work with other agencies from time to time, such as health and social services. Here we outline training that is beneficial to all staff working with children in a multi-agency environment

This assembly follows the inspiring story of Wanda Summers − her recovery from a serious accident, and her determination to complete an ultra-marathon across the Gobi desert

In this assembly, Brian Radcliffe invites students, in light of the Government’s proposed spending cuts, to consider the way they prioritise their time, money and energy

This assembly begins by considering the numerous apologies which have been made in connection with the football World Cup. It goes on to discuss the difference between a qualified apology and a true expression of regret

On 11 June this year, the hills around Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales saw the thirtieth Man versus Horse Marathon. The assembly tells the story of the race, and along the way reflects on the long story of the close relationship between humans and horses

This week’s assembly considers the extent to which we might expect too much of people and reminds us that we’re only human. It challenges listeners to show a little more compassion in their lives

In this assembly, children will learn about why supporters are important for encouraging sportsmen and women and for sporting events as a whole

This week’s assembly challenges listeners not to lose sight of the important issues, even when only certain ones seem to be in the public eye

This assembly discusses being scared when students are lost, and offers advice as to what they should do when they are

Every year schools recruit new members of staff, from headteachers, to teachers, to classroom assistants and administrative staff. It is vital that a robust procedure is followed for all interviews to ensure that the successful candidate is a suitable person to work with children and young people

This assembly, coinciding with the start of the World Cup in South Africa, looks back to the sport of chariot racing in ancient Rome. It asks questions about the pros and cons of professional sport – then as now

A-Z of school life examines maintaining the momentum, sorting out the important from the not important, making the most of opportunities, people and questions, questions, Jane Golightly has written extensively on school improvement and has more than 30 years experience in primary educationuestions

This primary assembly looks at personal injury and disappointment, and how to make the most of a bad situation

There are currently two live consultations that will impact upon your safeguarding duties, the most important of which is the long-awaited sector-specific guidance for the Vetting and Barring Scheme. Dai Durbridge explains how they will affect your safeguarding responsibilities in the new academic year

The way in which a school is organised (horizontal or vertical? House system? Form tutors or personal tutors?) has a huge impact on the culture and ethos of the school, but what will work best in each situation and why? Below we consider the changes made at Federation of West Sleekburn Middle School and Bedlingtonshire Community High School

This week’s assembly challenges listeners to remember those who are left behind in one way or another, and asks listeners to question the extent to which they are inclusive in their thoughts and actions

Perhaps more than any other inspection judgement, ‘The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures’ has caused anxiety amongst schools. Here are some suggestions for how you might prepare.

In this assembly, children will learn about Doug Gregory – the 87 year old RAF pilot who is still flying and performing stunts. Children will be invited to confront stereotypes about older people

Wider Family Learning is a cross-cutting strategy to engage reluctant adult learners while involving them more with their children’s learning. Although one in three schools take up Wider Family Learning grants from their local authority, the level of funding available means that many more could successfully apply. Nick Holt takes you step-by-step through an application form

This week, the A-Z of school life continues to examine some of the vital parts of your role as school leader, including inclusion and knowing your school

The new Equality Act will remove the exemption for schools which previously meant that they did not have to provide auxiliary aids and services to students with a disability. Rebecca Taylor-Onion looks at the impact of the new disability duty in relation to auxiliary aids and services on schools

In this assembly students are encouraged to consider the balance of rivalry and unity that is exemplified by the World Cup

This assembly looks at the history of the Queen’s Speech and what her latest speech will mean for the UK

This assembly uses the theme of puns and similar wordplay. It looks at many definitions of the word pun, such as in the form of a corny joke and a way to highlight tragedy, and also explores the idea of the visual pun (the ‘rebus’) with reference to the prisoner Thomas Abel’s carving in the Tower of London

How do you cope when your secondary school is placed in special measures by Ofsted?

Jane Golightly continues to offer suggestions about areas in which you could initiate school improvement in your school